Encouraging Joy & Grace

Simeon's Moment

There is a Christmas story from the Bible that often gets overlooked. I must confess that until my dear sister-in-law Patty mailed out a certain Christmas card one year, it was a story that I was unfamiliar with. The card, and her enthusiasm over the card, caused me to dig into the story of Simeon.

“At that time there was a man in Jerusalem named Simeon. He was righteous and devout and was eagerly waiting for the Messiah to come and rescue Israel. The Holy Spirit was upon him. And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah.”

He was promised by God that he would live to see the Messiah! It doesn’t say how long Simeon had been waiting for that promise to be fulfilled. I don’t know about you, but even waiting a day or two would be hard for me. He may have been waiting years!

But there he is. Simeon. Waiting for a fulfilled promise from God.

Then one day, Simeon is in the temple. In walk Mary & Joseph with this baby boy named Jesus.

“And he {Simeon} came in the Spirit into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to carry out for Him the custom of the Law {circumcision}, Simeon took Jesus into his arms and blessed God. . . “

Simeon didn’t just happen to be in the temple that day. The Spirit of God directed him to be there. This was no chance encounter.

Can you imagine that moment??? Simeon has been waiting to meet the promised Messiah! Now he is holding this baby in his arms and the spirit of God is telling him “This is the ONE, Simeon! This is your long-awaited Messiah!”

I can only begin to imagine the JOY of this moment! Yet every Christmas, I pull out the card from Patty and tears run down my face as I just TRY to comprehend what it meant to Simeon to hold this baby and know it was the Son of God!

Simeon's Moment by Ron DiCianni

Scripture goes on to tell us that when Simeon took the baby into his arms, he blessed God and said, “Now Lord, You are releasing Your bond-servant to depart in peace, according to Your word; FOR MY EYES HAVE SEEN YOUR SALVATION.”